Last updated:
Amnesty International published a major new report on March 23, 2026, documenting a sweeping regional trend across the Americas: governments in Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela have adopted or reformed legal frameworks between 2024 and 2025 that impose disproportionate controls on civil society organisations (CSOs), threatening their ability to function, access funding, and defend human rights.
A Pattern of Authoritarian Suppression
Amnesty International's comparative analysis found that in every country studied, the passage of restrictive laws was preceded by organised stigmatisation campaigns. Governments and allied voices labelled CSOs as "internal enemies", "foreign agents", and "anti-patriotic" entities, fuelling public distrust and creating a climate of intimidation. In some cases — including Paraguay — racist and misogynistic rhetoric was used to foster fear and self-censorship.
The laws were passed without adequate public consultation, without evidence of the risks they purport to address, and without impact assessments. Amnesty concludes that their real purpose is to expand state control over civil society — not to improve transparency or prevent financial crimes, as governments claim.
What we are seeing is a worrying regional pattern. So-called "anti-NGO laws" reflect the rise of authoritarian practices aimed at silencing critical voices and consolidating power at any cost.
Ana Piquer, Americas Director, Amnesty International
Vague Provisions, Arbitrary Controls, and Criminalization
The laws use broad, ambiguous definitions — such as "public order", "political activity", or "distortion of objectives" — that allow for selective enforcement against critical organisations. Registration systems require state approval to operate, without clear timelines or criteria. Reporting obligations duplicate existing regulations, diverting human and financial resources from core human rights work.
Sanctions are disproportionate and carry wide discretionary powers: excessive fines, bank account freezes, asset confiscation, dissolution of organisations, and even criminal penalties. In Peru, a CSO can be dissolved simply for representing victims of human rights violations in litigation against the state. In Nicaragua, these measures have led to the mass closure of thousands of organisations.
What Amnesty International Is Demanding
Amnesty International is calling on governments across the Americas to repeal or amend laws that violate freedom of association, end stigmatising rhetoric against human rights defenders, and ensure any regulation of CSOs meets the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality. The organisation also calls on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the donor community to reject the misuse of financial standards as a pretext to restrict civil society.
Source: Amnesty International — Americas: States intensify crackdown on civil society
Need an expert witness report for your case?
Our country experts provide independent reports for asylum and immigration cases in the UK, US, Canada, and EU.
Order an expert witness report |
Find a country expert witness |
About our expert team
